It sounds tempting to buy offshoots of various indoor plants, entire hedges and trees or perennial seeds for a ridiculous price on eBay classifieds. But what do you have to pay attention to when you buy these plants from private individuals?
You never know where the plants come from
Has the person ever bought them in the garden center, grown them themselves or even taken them from nature somewhere? Just as with the trade in exotic animals, there are also regulations for the trade in plants. Particularly exotic or rare plants often need proof of origin or the seller needs special authorization to trade with these plants. If you buy plants that are protected or with which trade is prohibited, you make yourself, just like the seller, liable to prosecution. So it is best to find out in advance whether trading in the plant you want to buy is permitted or subject to certain conditions.
You never know if the plants are healthy
Worst case scenario: A few days in the new apartment and the new plant has withered and is no longer as fresh and green as hoped. It may be that the plants were simply planted in an unsuitable substrate, or that the plant was overwatered and root rot has developed. Of course, the worst thing is when pathogens such as mold spores or insects come into your home with the plants, which can then infect your other plants. So critically examine the condition of the plants being sold for signs of pathogens, rotten roots, or wilted leaves. To be on the safe side, you should perhaps consider buying a plant from a specialist shop. The trained specialist staff will also help you if you notice at home that you have brought pathogens into the house with the plant.
You can be sold something wrong
As a layman, you are never immune to such bad purchases. Especially on Ebay classifieds, people like to look for high-quality second-hand things at a bargain price. The sellers know that too. In the case of plants, it is often difficult for the non-botanist to distinguish between species and variations. Even more difficult if you are buying cuttings or very young plants, as is often the case on Ebay. So it could happen that you think you are buying an absolute rarity, but get a specimen of a very common plant. So find out exactly which plant you want, what it should look like and what a comparable plant in the garden center costs.
You end up paying more than if you bought your plant from a garden center
A known problem on Ebay Classifieds is that sellers judge their items to be of higher quality than they are. You can get attached to a self-grown plant that you have seen growing, nurtured and cared for. Still, you shouldn't have to pay for any emotional value. A simple solution: find out about the value of certain plants at certain ages on the Internet or in specialist shops, then you won't end up paying too much for your plant.
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Have a look at our plants AZ . There you will find other types of plants for your living room and care tips.
